1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to parapet walls and more specifically to a parapet wall cover system, which eliminates the need for nailer strips.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Wood nailer strips are subject to shrinking, splitting, warping and rotting. Further, wood nailer strips are also subject to damage from termites and carpenter ants. Treated wood nailer strips contain chemicals that are corrosive to fasteners. It would be advantageous to eliminate the need from wood nailer strips, when placing a coping over a parapet wall. An example of a parapet wall cover system that uses a wood nailer is the Perma-Tite coping sold by Metal-Era, Inc. of Waukesha, Wis.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,140 to Hickman discloses a coping. The Hickman patent includes protecting a top of a parapet wall with inverted U-shaped anchor elements secured to the wall at space points where the lengths of the coping units substantially abut. However, the anchor elements do not include a lengthwise support to square the anchor elements to the coping.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,531 to Attaway et al. discloses a coping structure. The Attaway et al. patent discloses a coping structure where a splice joint between a pair of normally inverted channel like coping members is had through use of a splice member, which cooperates inside the channels of the pair of coping members for covering a transverse seam between adjacent longitudinal ends. However, the splice joint does not include a lengthwise support to square the splice joint to the coping members.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,256 to Gembala discloses a wall closure for roof systems. The Gembala patent includes a wall closure having a generally M-shaped configuration to provide an anchoring flange for attachment to the top of parapet wall.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a parapet wall cover system, which reduces labor costs by eliminating the need for nailer strips and which eliminates a fire hazard and the consequences of failure by the wood nailer strips or the fasteners inserted therein.